Sean Duffy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sean Duffy
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Official portrait, 2025
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| 20th United States Secretary of Transportation | |
| Assumed office January 28, 2025 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Steven G. Bradbury |
| Preceded by | Pete Buttigieg |
| Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration | |
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Acting
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| Assumed office July 9, 2025 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Janet Petro (acting) |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 7th district |
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| In office January 3, 2011 – September 23, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Dave Obey |
| Succeeded by | Tom Tiffany |
| District Attorney of Ashland County | |
| In office August 1, 2002 – July 9, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Gableman |
| Succeeded by | Kelly McKnight |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sean Patrick Duffy
October 3, 1971 Hayward, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Rachel Campos
(m. 1999) |
| Children | 9 |
| Relatives | Leah Campos (sister-in-law) |
| Education | |
Sean Patrick Duffy (born October 3, 1971) is an American politician and former television personality. He has been the U.S. Secretary of Transportation since January 2025. Since July 2025, he has also been the acting administrator of NASA.
Duffy is a member of the Republican Party. He served as a U.S. representative for Wisconsin's seventh congressional district from 2011 to 2019. Before his political career, he was a professional lumberjack and appeared on MTV's The Real World: Boston. He also worked as a prosecutor.
Contents
Early Life and Education (1971–1999)
Sean Patrick Duffy was born on October 3, 1971, in Hayward, Wisconsin. He was the tenth child in his family. Sean grew up in a Catholic family. Many of his family members competed in the annual Lumberjack World Championships in Hayward.
Duffy started logrolling when he was five years old. He played hockey at Hayward High School. At fifteen, he began speed climbing. He continued lumberjacking after high school. In 1994, he became the world champion speed climber at the Lumberjack World Championship.
He earned a degree in marketing from St. Mary's College of Maryland. Later, he graduated from the William Mitchell College of Law in 1999.
Career Highlights
Television and Sports (1997–2004)
In 1997, Sean Duffy became a cast member on The Real World: Boston. This was a popular reality TV show on MTV. He later appeared on Road Rules: All Stars in 1998. On the set of Road Rules, he met Rachel Campos. They got married in April 1999 and now have nine children.
Duffy also competed in the Great Outdoor Games. He participated in log rolling and speed climbing events. In 2003, he became a commentator for the Great Outdoor Games.
Prosecutor and District Attorney (2002–2010)
After law school, Duffy worked for his father's law firm for two years. He then became a special prosecutor for Ashland County. In June 2002, he was appointed as the district attorney for Ashland County.
Duffy ran for and won the position in elections in 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008. As district attorney, he had a high success rate in court cases.
U.S. House of Representatives (2011–2019)
Serving in Congress
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In 2009, Sean Duffy announced he would run for the United States House of Representatives. He challenged the long-serving Democratic representative, Dave Obey. Duffy won the election in 2010 for Wisconsin's 7th congressional district.
He was re-elected four more times: in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018.
As a representative, Duffy served on the United States House Committee on Financial Services. He also chaired the Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. He worked on bills related to financial regulations and the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis.
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Resignation from Congress
On August 26, 2019, Duffy announced he would resign from Congress. This was due to health complications with his ninth child, who was not yet born. His resignation became effective on September 23, 2019. His wife gave birth in October. Their child was born with two holes in her heart and Down syndrome.
Post-Government Activities (2019–2024)
After leaving Congress, Sean Duffy worked as a paid contributor for CNN. He later joined BGR Group, a consulting firm. He advised on financial services.
In 2021, Duffy and his wife started a podcast called From the Kitchen Table: The Duffys. In 2023, he began co-hosting The Bottom Line on Fox Business.
Secretary of Transportation (2025–Present)
In November 2024, after Donald Trump won the presidential election, Trump nominated Sean Duffy as his Secretary of Transportation. The Senate confirmed his nomination on January 28, 2025. He was sworn in on the same day.
As Secretary, Duffy has focused on several areas. He has worked to change fuel economy standards. He also aims to speed up important infrastructure projects. He has prioritized federal aid for areas with high birth rates.
In July 2025, President Trump also named Duffy as the acting administrator of NASA. This means he is now leading both the Department of Transportation and NASA.
Political Views
Domestic Issues
Sean Duffy has praised the Tea Party movement, a conservative political group. He has also criticized the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law about financial regulations. Duffy has questioned the scientific agreement on climate change. He has called the government's response to it an "agenda of control."
Aviation Policy
At the Paris Air Show in June 2025, Duffy spoke about the importance of free trade in the aerospace industry.
Images for kids
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Duffy campaigning in May 2010.
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Duffy speaking to Sonny Perdue, the secretary of agriculture, in August 2017.
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The Duffys with president Donald Trump in October 2019.
See also
In Spanish: Sean Duffy para niños
